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If Offliners were doctors, they would be in JAIL!!

by iamchrisgreen
11 replies
I see a lot of questions on here "how do I sell this"... "how do I sell that"... "how do I get someone to want ______________ " ... you get the picture.

There's a saying that goes like this:

"Prescription without Diagnosis is Malpractice..."

There is no way a doctor would sit there wondering when a suitable patient will come in for his new medicine that has just been released.

He sits the patient down, asks some probing questions and works out the real problem.

Most times the real problem wasn't the problem that the person first thought...

So... what does that have to do with sales??

In your mind, before you even go into the meeting, you are thinking that this company needs to be top of Google, or maybe they need more youtube views, or maybe they need (you fill in the blank).

Business owners have real issues. Typically around making more profit.

They will not reveal those issues to you..

So your best strategy is to position yourself as the 'go to expert' for helping them with whatever it takes to help them get more profit.

Asking great questions will get you bigger and better sales (as long as you can follow up with a great service).
#doctors #jail #offline sales #offliners
  • Profile picture of the author RockstarBen
    Chris,
    You nailed it! Even if you offer one service that is pretty much the same across the board, you still need to craft it to align with your clients' needs. Just by showing them you understand their needs, you are 95% assured to have a solid shot at their business!

    I would venture to say that of my many clients, the majority are using the same basic tools in local internet marketing, but they all feel as though the campaigns are completely custom tailored to them, and that is only because each one has a small twist to be slightly unique. This small twist is the exponential difference between the jokers who never seem to make it in this business and those who not only do well for themselves, but kick some ass for their awesome clients!

    Thanks for the great post, Chris!
    --Ben
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  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    As someone once said:

    Customers aren't looking to buy a 3/4" drill...they are looking to create a 3/4" hole.

    Which means provide them a solution to get the end result they are looking for...and if it will get the job done quickly, easily, and affordably--they'll take it.

    Cheers,

    ~Dexx
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    • Profile picture of the author Rick88
      Originally Posted by Dexx View Post

      As someone once said:

      Customers aren't looking to buy a 3/4" drill...they are looking to create a 3/4" hole.

      ~Dexx
      I love that quote and it is so very true. You need to find out what your client needs and establish the Know, Like, and Trust first. Then you can upsell to other needs.

      What I would like to know is how many call their customers up once a month to talk about marketing and business with no selling. It has big payoffs.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dexx
        Originally Posted by Rick88 View Post

        I would like to know is how many call their customers up once a month to talk about marketing and business with no selling. It has big payoffs.
        I do this...but I include it in their monthly marketing fee...

        ~Dexx
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    For those that sell SEO and other major services this is so true. You should be spending most of your time with a potential client learning what they need. And then suggesting what you can do to help.

    Even things like SMS and mobile websites should be sold on the benefits to the customer though it may not take as long to figure out their needs on those.
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    Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay Rhome
    Well I agreed with that - when I was a global consultant. Now that I want to hire sales reps and sell a few, "standardized packages", reps don't have the range of options we would have dealing one on one with a client, and knowing all we can do and outsource.

    So there's room for consultants AND for pure service selling too. Of course, one on one, true consulting is the way to go. It brings more value to the client and more pay for us.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbnet86
    Another thought here and I picked up on this in another thread is to remeber when consulting they do not need to know the techy stuff as to how it works. Identify the problem (And get them to agree with you that this is the problem!)- show them a solution and don't forget to ask for the business! - Nothing worse than doing a bunch of work and then walking away with A "Call me if you need anything else" closing.

    Learning to Earn!
    Jeff B.
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    • Profile picture of the author midasman09
      Banned
      I'm sorry...asking questions and "finding out WHAT prospective customers/clients WANT.....comes AFTER you've gotten permission to 'interrogate" them!

      So...since I need to provide something for prospects to even meet with me or agree to give me a few minutes of their valuable Time....I better offer up some STRONG REASONS WHY....they should hear what I have to say!

      It ALL boils down to....your INITIAL CONTACT!

      If you walk into a prospects office, cold-turkey, and start talking about the fish on the wall (Ohhh...where'd you catch that?)....then progress to, "How Long You Been in Business?"...."What Kind of advertising you doing now?" "Do you have a Website?"

      HOGWASH!

      Ya gotta offer up something POWERFUL .....to give him a REASON to give you a few minutes of his time....so you can ask the questions you need to find out what to sell him.

      Don Alm...salesguy
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      • Profile picture of the author RockstarBen
        Originally Posted by kaniganj View Post

        My advice is not to demo any solution until after you've confirmed that your prospect:

        * has a need for what you provide, and acknowledges that they have that need

        * can afford your services

        * are a good personality fit with you.

        If you are satisfied with the responses to these three points, then you've almost certainly done a good job of "doctoring" in your sales process.
        You said it perfectly! Also, if you really want to crush it - they (your prospect) would quantify the need in both time and cost... Obviously, it would be helpful if they would be able to say: "this problem costs me $10,000 per month..." but you would probably need to help them arrive to this number with common sense deduction.

        Now, the kicker is to get them to tell you how long this has been a problem. Why? Because how long this problem has existed is an enormous indicator for you. For example, if they tell you it has been a problem for a year, great! You know they are probably ready to do something about it. On the other hand, if they say 2 weeks, then they probably still think they can "think there own way out" somehow... Also, if they say: "this has been a problem for 6 years," well - they have probably just learned to live with it...

        Yours in Sales Awesomeness!
        --Ben
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    My advice is not to demo any solution until after you've confirmed that your prospect:

    * has a need for what you provide, and acknowledges that they have that need

    * can afford your services

    * are a good personality fit with you.

    If you are satisfied with the responses to these three points, then you've almost certainly done a good job of "doctoring" in your sales process.
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